French veteran Richard Gasquet will get his chance at a second straight Swiss opponent after a 6-2, 6-4 win by qualifier Dominic Stricker over Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp on Tuesday in Antwerp.
Gasquet began his week in Belgium’s diamond-dealing capital by putting out Switzerland’s three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka.
Now the 36-year-old will play for the quarter-finals against the 20-year-old who earned his first ATP-level hardcourt win of the season.
The 2020 Roland Garros junior champion Stricker notched 19 winners and saved all four break points he faced against van de Zandschulp in his 88-minute first-round victory..
The Swiss has moved into contention for a possible spot at the November Under-21 NextGen Finals in Milan, standing provisional 10th in the season points race.
In Stockholm, Swiss Antoine Bellier produced a victory with his 6-4, 6-2 defeat of Alexander Shevchenko in 82 minutes with five breaks of serve.
Compatriot Marc-Andrea Huesler, this month’s Sofia champion, failed to make it a national hat-trick as he was broken late in his third set against Francisco Cerundolo, going out 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-3.
